Cllr Martin Browne of Sinn Féin Tipperary has welcomed Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada to County Tipperary to talk with representatives of the Angling community. Following her visit, MEP Ní Riada has said that the potential of the River Suir to support the development of angling tourism has yet to be fully realised. She made the comments following a visit to Golden this week.

Liadh Ní Riada said: “Golden is a beautiful village in an area of outstanding scenery. Its location close to Cashel and its proximity to the main Dublin – Cork motorway mean that it is accessible for domestic and foreign tourists alike.”

“As a member of the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries I have taken a keen interest in the potential for the further development of angling as both a sport and a lure for tourism.”

“Rural Ireland is crying out for investment and for job opportunities. The development of sustainable tourism, based on our greatest natural assets, would be a fantastic boon for rural communities, not least here in Co. Tipperary.”

“I will continue to work alongside Cllr. Martin Browne and with all stakeholders to work towards a sustainable, clean and vibrant tourism offering for anglers that benefits the community and rural economy.”

Cllr Martin Browne adds: “In one of the most historic and one of the most beautiful counties in Ireland, we have a significant opportunity in terms of a unique angling experience. The potential of tourism has never been doubted, and I compliment the members of Cashel/Golden Anglers Association on their work. We received a short tour from Owen Jackman who is Secretary of the Association and were impressed with the commitment of the Association to maintaining the environment.”

“The potential for employment in any environmentally friendly tourism industry should not be overlooked.”

“Seán Ross Abbey has to be added next to the list of homes for enquiry. An excavation and exhumation process must now be begun; each human so casually buried in unmarked grave should be recorded and treated with respect.”

After hearing of reports of small bones being ploughed up in the 1980s Cllr Martin Browne of Sinn Féin has called for exhumation and respectful re-interment of young children buried in a mass grave in Seán Ross Abbey, Roscrea.

John Collins (Son of Teresa), Billy Watson (Father of Teresa) and Teresa Collins.

Cllr Browne said: “With the discovery of proof that 796 young children and babies had died and were buried unmarked in a septic tank in Tuam, our attention naturally turns to similar homes in our own locality. The Bons Secours Mother and Baby home in Tuam was only one such home, that operated in an uncaring Ireland to effectively imprison and stigmatise women who became pregnant without being married.”

“This went on for 4 decades, and in many parts of the country. In Roscrea, a similar home was the Seán Ross Abbey. It operated for about the same period of time as the Tuam home.”

“We like to think that bad things only happen in other places, and that the place down the road from us is just fine. It seems that may not be the case in Seán Ross Abbey in Roscrea.”

Margaret Rigney (Sister in law) and Teresa Collins

“Yesterday Teresa Collins of Portroe visited the home for the first time in 53 years since she was taken from there as a baby. Her family had to pay £100 in 1963 to secure the release of Teresa and her birth-Mother.”

“After several years of effort, and despite the efforts of the Nuns in the home, Teresa has made successful contact with her father in the last year, and the two of them went to the home together on Sunday 12th.”

“While there, Council worker Mike Donovan revealed that he had worked at the home in the 1980’s. When working in what is now the children burial ground, he said that the tractor he was operating ploughed up many bones, small bones, and the job they were engaged in was called off. The whole area is now changed, and this work was carried out by another contractor in the 1990s. The layout of the area in question is now very different to the 1980s. There are two other areas on the grounds where there as yet unsubstantiated suggestions of unrecorded and mass burial of babies and children.”

“Seán Ross Abbey has to be added next to the list of homes for enquiry. An excavation and exhumation process must now be begun; each human so casually buried in unmarked grave should be recorded and treated with respect.”

Photographs of Vera Twomey in Cahir, County Tipperary. Vera has to walk 263Km from Cork to Dublin to get medicine for her daughter Ava. The Irish State is working against her.

The medicine isn’t expensive. It’s cannabis, to be used for medicinal purposes to control Ava’s seizures. Cannabis is legal in other parts of Europe, and in most of the United States of America. It’s non-toxic, non-lethal, non-addictive, written about in the bible, and a plant with which humans are co-evolved. Humans have used cannabis naturally for about 5,000 years. It’s good for pain relief, seizure control, and many other uses.

In the ‘Republic’ of Ireland it is illegal.

Ava has dozens of seizures a day. Vera fears they will kill the young 6 year old. And still the inexpensive and natural medicine cannot be legally used by Ava.

Tomorrow Vera starts from Cahir at 08:30 and heads via New Inn to Cashel. Please come out and support her. If you can walk a little with her or contact your TD it would help 6 year old Ava hugely.

Cahir House Hotel offered to accommodate Vera overnight at no charge; Vera is spending tonight instead with supporters she has met along the way. Similar support has already been offered in Cashel. Such is the level of generosity shown by ordinary people.

This stands in contrast with the treatment Vera and Ava have received from Minister for Health Simon Harris, and the mistreatment they have received at the hands of the HSE.

If you’re an ordinary citizen who understands that a Mum shouldn’t have to battle alone against the State, here’s how you can help:

Can you share this post?

Can you raise awareness by phoning a radio station?

Can you send an email to simon.harris@oir.ie to complain about both his actions and inaction?

There will be a public meeting held on Thursday next, 2nd March, in the Park Hotel, Clonmel at 20:00.

The meeting is organised by Dermot O’Leary of the NBRU to discuss the proposed closure of the Bus Éireann service between Dublin and Clonmel.

Councillors, TD’s, and the public are welcome.

It is hoped that Labour Councillor Maurice Shorthall will attend, and outline the unfortunate experiences of Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, when their service was curtailed. A director of Bus Éireann is also expected to attend.

Speaking in Leinster House today, Sinn Féin’s Agriculture spokesperson, Martin Kenny TD, has said that the measures introduced by Minister Michael Creed on the National Reserve were welcome, but do not go far enough.

Deputy Kenny said:

“While I am glad that, at last, the Minister has done something to help young farmers and new entrants to farming for 2017, after leaving them in the lurch last year, these measures do not go far enough to resolve the situation.

“However, €5 million is not enough to deal with the backlog of young farmers who have completed or who are now trying to complete green cert training and who will be seeking entitlements soon.”

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has labelled the government’s social housing delivery for 2016 as “uninspiring and wholly inadequate.” Deputy Ó Broin made the comments on foot of the publication of the Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report for 2016.

He said: “This report shows that only 652 units were delivered in 2016. This is just 8% of the overall number of units currently “in development”. This figure is spread across Local Authorities, Associated Housing Bodies, Capital Assistance projects, rapid builds, regeneration projects, Capital Advance and Leasing projects and turnkey projects.

“Another 21% of the units are on site. However, 34 of the 90 developments described as on site only commenced in the fourth quarter of 2016. The majority of the developments, over 70% of the social housing units announced, are being held up by the cumbersome approval, tendering and procurement rules that the Department of Housing imposes on local Councils. These rules can delay the delivery of social housing by up to 24 months.

“For example, the figures published in this status report worrying show that 89 of the 353 projects stuck in the bureaucratic approvals process have been at the first stage of the process, the capital appraisals stage, since the third quarter of 2015 or before. Over a quarter of the social housing projects currently under development have been stuck at stage one of the approvals and procurement process for 16 months or more.

“This is not good enough given the level of social housing need in this state. Last November I published a document as to how the approval, tendering and procurement regime for social housing could be speeded up. This would consist of a one stage approval process instead of the current four stage process.

“Sinn Féin also recommend that to enable local authorities and Associated Housing Bodies to deliver social housing programmes as quickly as possible the Department of Housing should provide them with, in principle, funding approval for six years to cover the period of the government’s Housing Plan. The Department of Housing must take the time to review its own procedures and see how it can reduce the red tape holding up the delivery of social housing.”

Cllr Martin Browne of Cashel Sinn Féin Tipperary has poured scorn on recent announcements from the government and their plans for rural Ireland. Browne has claimed that the €60 million which was announced is over a three year period and is been spread over 600 rural towns and villages.

Cllr Browne said: “Any and all money being spent in rural areas is welcome. But these announcements are just a rehash of different previous announcements from this Fine Gael led government. We have heard it all before.”

Cllr Martin Brwone and Cllr Catherine Cary supporting Dunnes Workers

“If this money is spread evenly over the proposed 600 towns and villages that very little work or improvements will be done in any area. €60 million sounds like a lottery windfall, but everyone knows that if you divide a win by 600 members that no one is getting a lot.”

“How can we or the public take these measures seriously, when at the same time their policies are aimed at closing down more post offices? That will has a huge knock-on effect especially in small towns and villages.”

“Rural Ireland is in big trouble if Fine Gael don’t change their policies; they say they’re trying to get people back to rural areas, but for this to happen, they need to provide proper services in these areas.”

“For young couples to make the move from a city, they require an assurance that school places will be easily available on the basis of equality, that public transport can be accessed, that childcare can be accessed, that there are shops stay open, and most importantly that high speed broadband is available.”

“The announced measures are no more than window dressing and unless more funds are made available, very little change can be made.”

“If Fianna Fáil had any principles they would hang their collective heads in shame for their continued role in keeping this Government in place; they’re helping them to continue with austerity measures, and all the harm that does. Then again, they’re the ones who bankrupted the country in the first place.”

“And I find myself laughing at the Labour Party, who today attack Enda’s Austerity Government for implementing policies that only less than 12 months ago they pursued and supported when they themselves were in Enda’s Austerity Government.”